Improved washing-machine



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

H. R. VVINCHELL, OF PLAINVILLE, VVISGONSIN.

IlVIPFiOVED WASHING-MACHINE.

Sped ation'forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,531, dated November 3, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, H R. WINCHELL, of Plainville, in the county of Adams and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and Improved Clothes-Washing Machine; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this speciication, in which- Figure l is a side sectional view of my invention, taken in the line x a", Fig. 2 5 Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section of the same, taken in the line y y, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it. v

A represents a suds-box of quadrilateral form, and having a curved inclined bottom, c, the lower part of which has about a horizontal position, as shown at a in Fig. l.

Within the suds-box A, at its deepest end, there is placed an'inclined rack, B, the upper end inclining toward the shallow end of the suds-box, as shown in Fig. l. This rack B is composed of a series of parallel slats, b, of iiat form, and presented edgewise toward the shallow end of the suds-box. These slats may be tted in a frame so arranged that it may, with the slats, be readily removed from the snds box or permanently secured Within it, as desired.

In consequence of the inclination of the slats b and their width, a space, c, is allowed behind them or between them and the end of the suds-box A.

C represents a shaft, which is placed transversely on the suds-box A, and has two parallel arms, d d, attached to it, the front ends of which are connected by a cross-bar, e, to serve as a handle. To the shaft C there are attached a series of parallel bars, f, which are about at right angles with the arms d d. These bars f may be of cylindrical or an approximate form, and they are secured at their lower ends in a horizontal bar, g, the inner surface of which is grooved longitudinally to form projecting lips h h, as shown in Fig. l. Just above the barg there is attached to the inner sides of the bar f abar, t', which is parallel with the horizontal bar g.

All of lthe parts herein described, With the exception of the bottom a, .may be of wood. The bottom may be of sheet metal. Zinc would be a good material.

The suds box A is supported by a suitable framing, D, and said box is supplied with a` requisite quantity of suds, the clothes to be washed being placed in the suds-box between the bars f andthe rack B. The rock-shaft C is then operated by raising and lowering the arms d d, and the clothes are compressed between the rack B and the bars f and g z', as said bars move toward the rack. As said bars move back from the rack B, the clothes will fall toward said bars, in consequence of the inclination of the rack, and be turned so as to be in a different position at the succeeding pressure. By this means all parts of the clothes will be acted upon.

The space c behind the rack B admits ofthe water or suds being readily forced through the texture of the clothes-an important feature, as it greatly facilitates and expedites the cleansing process. l

The barsf g i are braced by oblique arms j from the arms d d.

The horizontal part a. of the bottom a admits of the clothes readily falling and turning during the backward movement of the bars fg i, while the curved portion a prevents the clothes from passing back of the bars f g.

This machine may be operated with but a moderate expenditure of power. It may be constructed at a reasonable expense, and it will operate and perform its work without injnring the clothes, breaking buttons, &c.-an objection to which many washing-machines are liable. When the clothes are Washed, the bars f g t may be turned upward and entirely ont of the suds-box, to admit of the ready removal ot' the clothes and the insertion of others to be washed.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement of the rock-shaft C, arms d, bars f, inclined bars j, and rubber-bars g 'i with the box A and inclined rack B, in the manner herein shown and described.

. H. R. WINCHELL.

Witnesses T. S. WINGHELL, C'. D. WINCHELL. 

